Comment: The following article appeared in the Cyprus Mail of Nicosia on 2 February 2005.

Restoration of shrines in the north

"THE European Commission yesterday reminded Turkey that it must sign a document extending its customs union with the EU to cover Cyprus before it can begin membership talks with the bloc as planned on October 3. If Ankara dragged its feet for political reasons, the negotiations would not open, senior Commission official Jean-Christophe Filori told visiting Turkish journalists. Asked what would happen if Turkey did not sign the protocol, Filori said: "If the delay is a result of political resistance (in Turkey), yes it would be a problem and the negotiations would not start.""

THE European Commission yesterday reminded Turkey that it must sign a
document extending its customs union with the EU to cover Cyprus before
it can begin membership talks with the bloc as planned on October 3.

If Ankara dragged its feet for political reasons, the negotiations
would not open, senior Commission official Jean-Christophe Filori told
visiting Turkish journalists.

The move is highly sensitive in Turkey because it is seen by
diplomats as tantamount to de facto recognition of the Republic of
Cyprus without a peace deal to reunite the divided island.

Turkey, which won its date to start long-delayed EU entry talks at
a summit last December, recognises only the breakaway Turkish Cypriot
regime in the north.

Asked what would happen if Turkey did not sign the protocol,
Filori said: “If the delay is a result of political resistance (in
Turkey), yes it would be a problem and the negotiations would not
start.”

Turkish financial markets are acutely sensitive to any suggestion
of problems in Turkey’s bid to join the EU.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, aware of the high stakes involved,
said last week there would be no delay in signing the document, though
he gave no date. “We are analysing the situation with regard to
international law and once we have made sure of our position, we will be
in touch with the European Commission and we will make an effort to
achieve a result as soon as possible,” he told reporters in Davos,
Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum.

“We would never want to extend the process,” Erdogan said.

Filori said the EU had no plans to get directly involved in any
revived diplomatic drive to reunite Cyprus, saying this would remain the
responsibility of the United Nations.

A previous UN peace plan was scuppered last year when the Greek
Cypriots rejected it in a referendum shortly before joining the EU. The
Turkish Cypriots had backed the plan.

Filori said a framework document establishing the structure for
Turkey’s accession talks would be ready by June at the latest. He
declined to say how long he thought the negotiations would last.

“Taking on the acquis communautaire (EU law) is a huge task and
takes a huge amount of time,” Filori said, referring to the tens of
thousands of pages of European law which prospective members must adopt
and implement."